Mineral Resources (Galilee Basin) Amendment Bill 2018
Plain English Summary
Overview
This Greens private member's bill would have banned all coal mining in Queensland's Galilee Basin, including terminating Adani's existing mining leases for the Carmichael mine without compensation. It was based on the 2018 IPCC Special Report finding that coal must be almost entirely phased out of global electricity by 2050 to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. The bill lapsed and did not become law.
Who it affects
Coal mining companies would have lost their Galilee Basin mining rights without compensation, and regional communities would not have seen the jobs or economic activity from proposed large-scale coal projects.
Key changes
- Prohibited any new coal mining leases being granted in the Galilee Basin, including for applications already lodged
- Immediately terminated existing coal mining leases held entirely within the Galilee Basin (held by Adani Group companies)
- Required the Minister to amend any coal mining lease partly overlapping the Galilee Basin to exclude that land
- Explicitly denied compensation to mining companies whose leases were terminated or amended
- Required the Minister to table a report in Parliament within 3 months summarising all actions taken
Bill Journey
▸Committee31 Oct 2018View Hansard
Referred to State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industry Development Committee
The State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industry Development Committee examined the bill, which sought to prevent coal mining leases from being granted in the Galilee Basin. The committee received over 100 submissions and held public hearings. It recommended the bill not be passed, noting concerns about the retrospective effect on existing mining lease applications and fundamental legislative principles. The committee separately recommended the Queensland Government advocate for a consistent national climate change policy framework.
Key findings (5)
- The bill would have retrospectively affected existing mining lease applications in the Galilee Basin, raising fundamental legislative principles concerns under the Legislative Standards Act 1992.
- The Galilee Basin is a 247,000 square kilometre thermal coal basin; Queensland's coal exports were dominated by metallurgical coal (161.8 Mt) with thermal coal comprising 59.7 Mt of exports.
- The committee received over 100 submissions and held public hearings in Brisbane, reflecting significant public interest in the bill.
- The committee found that current federal policy instability on climate change may hinder Queensland's adoption of future climate change actions and pathways.
- The Queensland Government concurred with the committee's second recommendation and outlined its existing climate change policies including the zero net emissions by 2050 target.
Recommendations (2)
- The committee recommends the Mineral Resources (Galilee Basin) Amendment Bill 2018 not be passed.
- The committee recommends that the Queensland Government advocate for a consistent national framework for climate change policy and emissions targets, as the current federal policy instability may hinder Queensland's adoption of future climate change actions and pathways.
Committee report tabled
Referenced Entities
Legislation
Programs & Schemes
Roles & Offices
Sectors Affected
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